Go Wild: Exploring Outside

Take a look at our recommended books for children, all about exploring the great outdoors! Part of Go Wild, our nature and wildlife project for children.

Let's Go Outside!

The great outdoors are waiting, ready to be filled with excitement and imagination. Explore the fun that can be had outdoors in all weathers and count how many children have gone outside to play in this joyful celebration of imaginative play and the simple pleasure of spending time outside everyday - and cosying up indoors at the end of the day. At the end of this simple and lyrical picture book are discussion prompts and outdoor activity suggestions, all ready for parents and children to say LET'S GO OUTSIDE!

Borrow book
Into the Wild

Joe loves Wild things, but can't find any in the city he lives in. One night Joe leaves his window open and with a swirl of leaves and a flap of feathers, the Wild invites him outside to explore the night-time city. Joe learns that animals and plants can thrive even in the most built-up environment, and that with a bit of imagination, a city can be full of surprises.

Borrow book
Maya's Walk

Maya and her dad love walking - whether it's a walk through woods full of wildlife, in the bustling streets, or at the local park, there is always lots to see, hear, touch, and smell. Join in as Maya finds fun ways to enjoy her walk, discovering hidden treasures, hopping and jumping along the path, and enjoying the magic of nature. At a time when the benefits of time spent outdoors are more keenly felt than ever, this beautifully told and stunningly illustrated story will inspire children to get out and discover for themselves how much joy a walk can bring. This inspiring story shows all the fun ways to experience a walk, no matter how familiar the setting. It highlights the joy connecting with nature can bring as we become ever more aware of its benefits to mental wellbeing.

Borrow book
Superworm & Friends: Outdoor Activity Book

Grab your coat and get ready for an outdoor adventure! This activity book is packed full of outside play ideas based on four of your favourite books by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler. With a wide range of activities created by nature play specialists Little Wild Things, this book is bursting with ideas to encourage children and adults to explore and celebrate nature together.

Borrow book
A Walk in the Woods

Join Lucy and Oscar and their dog Jasper as they explore spring, summer, autumn and winter on a woodland walk. What amazing things can you see? Come rain or shine, Oscar and Lucy walk Jasper the dog every day. On a spring morning, the world is waking up, animals peek out from their burrows and the birds sing happy songs. On summer afternoons it is HOT HOT HOT and picnics are a joy to have. On autumn evenings, the sky turns black and minibeasts find their perfect hiding spots. Winter mornings are frosty and cold. Spot all the nature elements that make woodland walks so special!

Borrow book
Nature Adventures: 30 Outdoor Activities for Young Explorers All Year Round

Based on the modern classic and much-loved family favourite 'We're Going on a Bear Hunt', this is an outdoor activity book for young nature-lovers and their families! Set out in seasonal chapters with four new Bear Hunt poems by Michael Rosen, each section includes activities such pond-dipping, star-gazing, den-building, bird-feeding alongside rain gauges, scavenger hunts, tree investigations and conker noughts and crosses.

Borrow book
21 Things to do With a Mud Pie: An Outdoor Activity Book

Build towers out of baked mud bricks, gather soil to make a home for worms or ants, and decorate a gigantic mud pie with flowers, twigs and leaves! Packed with arts and crafts, games, thought exercises, science experiments and more, this fun and educational book gets kids to experience the wonder of nature – and talks them through how to safely (and cleanly!) play with slimy, squelchy mud.

Borrow book
Outdoor Adventure Handbook

This fun-filled adventure handbook is bursting with ideas to help kids discover the great outdoors and get closer to nature. It is packed fun activities, handy tips, and nature facts to encourage children to explore the wonderful world around them.

Borrow book
The Children's Book of Wildlife Watching

Make a difference to the local wildlife with the ideas and tips in this informative, hands-on book. Help the animals around you by creating a safe place where they can thrive. Activities will help you get up-close to nature in a safe and responsible manner, whether it's by studying minibeasts, pond dipping, or creating a mammal tracker. You can even design your own garden, with tips on planting the right plants to create a safe space for animals. Soon you will know all about mammals, minibeasts, amphibians, reptiles and birds, and their needs.

Borrow book
The Nature Adventure Book

This is the perfect gift for adventurous children, as they play their way through 40 crafts and games to be done outside. You don't need to live near a forest or have a huge garden to have a go at these projects - the activities and crafts in this book can be done on-the-go, in your neighbourhood, or at your local park. Discover the magic of the outdoors and get hands-on with activities that are perfectly suited for young children, as you collect treasure on a nature walk, learn about different types of clouds, create wild art, whittle a magic wand from a stick, and build a secret stick shelter. There are also mindful games that encourage children to tune into their senses and feel connected to their surroundings.

Borrow book
What to Look For in Autumn

In the UK, autumn is a season of change and preparation. The air temperature starts to drop, trees change colour and the days get shorter. This book takes a closer look at hedgerow picnics, unexpected houseguests and hibernating hedgehogs as the secrets of autumn begin to appear in the world around us.

Borrow book
Wild Child: A Journey Through Nature

'Wild Child' is a gift book, illustrated in full colour by Barry Falls, and divided into five chapters: looking out of the window, venturing out into the garden, walking in the woods, investigating heathland and wandering on the river bank. Dara pauses to tell you about each habitat and provides fantastic facts about the native birds, animals and plants you will find there - including wrens, blackbirds, butterflies, tadpoles, bluebells, bees, hen harriers, otters, dandelions, oak trees and many, many more.

Borrow book
Sticks, Stars, Dens and Stones: Fun Days in the Great Outdoors

This fun-filled outdoor adventure handbook is packed with unique ideas to help kids discover the great outdoors and get closer to nature. Created with the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), the UK's leading gardening charity, this pocket-sized guide will teach kids about different habitats. This gorgeously illustrated handbook is bursting with fun activities, top tips and nature facts to help inspire kids to explore the amazing world around them.

Borrow book
The Explorer's Guide to Going Wild

Do you know a child that loves to explore but isn't sure how to plan their own adventures? Are they often preoccupied by an iPad when they could be outdoors? In this book, kids will learn how they can become a master explorer. Whether they want to learn how to camp in the wild, navigate their way through a new landscape, master bushcraft skills or plan a polar expedition, this book will show them how to do it. Each chapter has a mini challenge for young explorers to try at home, from learning how to read the stars, to building a den. All these skills will help children to push their boundaries, build a resilient explorer mindset and get outdoors. And with fun black and white illustrations, having an adventure couldn't be easier!

Borrow book
101 Things to do on a Walk

'101 Things to do on a Walk' is a fun, practical, creative book filled with activities to do while on trips out in nature - both locally, and not so locally. Take this book with you on a walk with the family to provide inspiration for nature-themed crafts and activities - from bird-spotting, bark rubbing and macro insect photography to playing Pooh sticks, identifying wildlife and building a den.

Borrow book
The Secret Signs of Nature

Meet two young adventurers as they discover the ancient art of reading outdoor clues. Join them as they learn to read a full moon, decode the colour of the ocean and forecast the weather with a rainbow, uncovering the secret signs of nature and a world of forgotten skills.

Borrow book
No items found.
No items found.
Support your library
Donate to support us
Make a one off donation or set up regular payments and add gift aid at no cost to you.
Donate
Volunteer with us
Learn new skills, meet new people and make a real contribution to your community.
Volunteer
Explore our vacancies
Read about our latest vacancies and apply online.
Join us